1. The Technical Field
This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus used in the preparation of bread dough loaves for baking. In particular, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for scoring a surface of an unbaked bread dough loaf.
2. The Prior Art
It has long been a practice in the baking industry to score the upper surface of an unbaked bread loaf, to give the bread loaf a decorative appearance after it has been baked. For example, the well-known "split-top" bread loaf gains its appearance by virtue of having had its top surface scored longitudinally before being introduced to a baking oven. Other decorative appearances are achievable by scoring the unbaked bread loaf in various ways prior to baking. The diagonal split pattern commonly seen on long loaves is created by scoring the unbaked loaf diagonally at various points along its length. Criss-cross patterns may be achieved by scoring an unbaked bread loaf two or more times at varying angles.
In the past, such scoring operations have traditionally required significant manual intervention in the scoring process. That is, human intervention was typically required either to manipulate the unbaked bread loaves and/or to manipulate the scoring equipment.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method by which unbaked bread dough loaves may be automatically scored with a minimum of human intervention.
It is also desirable to provide an apparatus which automatically scores unbaked bread loaves in a predetermined manner, with a minimum of human intervention.